Features

The marketing department of gym corporations await the turn of the new year to be able to promote their holiday sales for the “resolutioners,” as I like to call them.

Now is the time for people to go in blind to any gym and workout for a few weeks, then likely quit and still pay the monthly fee. Don’t let that become you.

As Monmouth students, you already have free access to the on-campus gym, which has the same types of machines as the Retro down the street. There is no need to pay for any expensive gym memberships.

You also have access to the fitness groups that change by the semester, a feature that most gyms make you pay extra to experience.

Don’t forget that you can scare away your anxiety to the machines by requesting a trainer as well. This is all a part of your tuition, so take advantage of it.

Campbell Lee, a senior English student, ran her own yoga class last semester. “Yoga focuses on the mental and the physical alike. It calms you from all your school stress, and you even release tension by becoming more flexible,” Lee said.

This semester, classes such as Zumba, Cardio Calorie Burner, and Body Boot Camp are running from Monday to Thursday.

Even if you have class sporadically, there are normally classes that run back-to-back from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

If you participated in sports in high school but do not want the pressure of being on a team at Monmouth, we also have a wide array of intramural sports which run throughout both the fall and spring semesters. One fun opportunity includes flag football, and there are frequently emails sent out to students to let them know about new activities.

Evan Najimian, the Coordinator of Intramural Sports, encourages students to take part in the teams, especially because it “creates an atmosphere that encourages individuals to develop a lifelong pattern of positive recreational activity, regardless of skill level.” The sport currently running is the indoor soccer league.

There are also sports clubs that run during their respective seasons. Students can join the baseball, softball, lacrosse, soccer, and volleyball clubs, and partake in less stressful competitions. Even if you do not feel like joining a team, there is a basketball court in the Ocean First Bank Center, a tennis court behind the residential halls, and miscellaneous fields that are open to practice on, so long as a team practice or game is not going on.

To stay motivated, remember that going to the gym and being active is a good way to ward off stress and helps you biologically.

According to Medlineplus, working out helps to “strengthen your heart and improve your circulation.” You are at a lower risk of heart disease and your blood pressure also lowers. Working out is also a good way to sweat out the French fries you had at the dining hall.

Melissa Lauria, a sophomore English and education student, tries “to go to the gym three to four times a week.”

Despite having lung problems, she still battles through because it makes her body feel better after.

If you have asthma or breathing problems please do not strain yourself. Always carry your inhaler and be careful when you are at the gym.

Start 2019 right with a workout program, or get active with sports or walking. You will feel better mentally and physically, and you may even make new friends if you join a team.